Speech-Language Pathologist and Audiologist Supervision Information

This page excerpts supervision requirement from the Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology licensing statute related to supervising temporarily licensed practitioners and speech-language pathologist assistants.

Supervisee. "Supervisee" means a person who, under the direction or evaluation of a supervisor, is:
(1) engaging in the supervised practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;
(2) performing a function of supervised clinical training as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; or
(3) performing a function of supervised postgraduate or doctoral clinical experience in speech-language pathology or audiology.

Supervision. "Supervision" means the direct or indirect evaluation or direction of: (1) a practitioner of speech-language pathology or audiology; (2) a person performing a function of supervised clinical training as a student of speech-language pathology or audiology; (3) a person performing a function of supervised postgraduate clinical experience in speech-language pathology or audiology; or (4) a speech-language pathology assistant in accordance with section 148.5192.

Supervisor. "Supervisor" means a person who has the authority to direct or evaluate a supervisee and who: (1) is a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist; or (2) when the commissioner determines that supervision by a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist as required in clause (1) is unobtainable, and in other situations considered appropriate by the commissioner, is a person practicing speech-language pathology or audiology who holds a current certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or board certification in audiology by the American Board of Audiology.

Supervision required for clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee

(a) A clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must practice under the supervision of an individual who meets the requirements of section 148.512, subdivision 20. Supervision must conform to the requirements in paragraphs (b) to (e).
(b) Supervision must include both on-site observation and other monitoring activities. On-site observation must involve the supervisor, the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, and the client receiving speech-language pathology or audiology services and must include direct observation by the supervisor of treatment given by the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee. Other monitoring activities must involve direct or indirect evaluative contact by the supervisor of the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, may be executed by correspondence, and may include, but are not limited to, conferences with the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee, evaluation of written reports, and evaluations by professional colleagues. Other monitoring activities do not include the client receiving speech-language pathology or audiology services.
(c) The clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must be supervised by an individual who meets the definition of section 148.512, subdivision 20, and: (1) when the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee is a speech-language pathologist, is a licensed speech-language pathologist, or holds a current certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association; or
(2) when the clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee is an audiologist,
is a licensed audiologist, or holds a current certificate of clinical competence in audiology from
the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or board certification in audiology by
the American Board of Audiology.
(d) Clinical fellowship licensure or doctoral externship licensure shall not be granted until the
applicant has completed the academic coursework and clinical training in section 148.515,
subdivision 2 or 2a. In addition to the transcript, the commissioner may require a letter from the
academic department chair or program director documenting that the applicant has completed
coursework equivalent to or exceeding a master's degree or that the applicant is eligible for
enrollment in current doctoral externship credit.
(e) The clinical fellowship licensee or doctoral externship licensee must provide verification
of supervision on the application form provided by the commissioner.

Supervision required for speech-language pathology assistants

A supervising speech-language pathologist shall authorize and accept full responsibility for the performance, practice, and activity of a speech-language pathology assistant.
(b) A supervising speech-language pathologist must:
(1) be licensed under sections 148.511 to 148.5198;
(2) hold a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or its equivalent as approved by the commissioner; and
(3) have completed at least one continuing education unit in supervision.
(c) The supervision of a speech-language pathology assistant shall be maintained on the
following schedule:
(1) for the first 90 work days, within a 40-hour work week, 30 percent of the work performed
by the speech-language pathology assistant must be supervised and at least 20 percent of the work
performed must be under direct supervision; and
(2) for the work period after the initial 90-day period, within a 40-hour work week, 20
percent of the work performed must be supervised and at least ten percent of the work performed
must be under direct supervision.
(d) For purposes of this section, "direct supervision" means on-site, in-view observation and
guidance by the supervising speech-language pathologist during the performance of a delegated
duty. The supervision requirements described in this section are minimum requirements.
Additional supervision requirements may be imposed at the discretion of the supervising
speech-language pathologist.
(e) A supervising speech-language pathologist must be available to communicate with a
speech-language pathology assistant at any time the assistant is in direct contact with a client.
(f) A supervising speech-language pathologist must document activities performed by
the assistant that are directly supervised by the supervising speech-language pathologist. At a
minimum, the documentation must include:
(1) information regarding the quality of the speech-language pathology assistant's
performance of the delegated duties; and
(2) verification that any delegated clinical activity was limited to duties authorized to be
performed by the speech-language pathology assistant under this section.
(g) A supervising speech-language pathologist must review and cosign all informal treatment notes signed or initialed by the speech-language pathology assistant.
(h) A full-time, speech-language pathologist may supervise no more than one full-time, speech-language pathology assistant or the equivalent of one full-time assistant.

Notification. Any agency or clinic that intends to utilize the services of a speech-language pathology assistant must provide written notification to the client or, if the client
is younger than 18 years old, to the client's parent or guardian before a speech-language pathology
assistant may perform any of the duties described in this section.